“Independent laboratory tests show that Teavana’s teas contain pesticides in amounts that exceed U.S. and E.U. regulatory limits,” Glaucus reported. “In our opinion, not only are lawsuits from the Federal Trade Commission and class-action attorneys inevitable, but once Starbucks learns that they have been deceived into paying a premium price for a tarnished consumer brand, they will walk away from the acquisition.”

Does it not make you wonder about the teas you drink from those direct suppliers? I do. It is a real conundrum.

If true, Teavana has played a dangerous game with unsuspecting consumers as their victims ... but wait, there is nothing new about that, is there!?!?! And we already knew that store staff is trained to say exactly what they are told to say! STUPID!!!!!

Just walk away, Starbucks ... Andy and company do not deserve to get rich off of this. Regardless, I am anxious to hear what they have to say! Hm, from either company actually.

Today was my first day at Teavana and I am trying desperately to find another job. I red through the training manual and diff all of the questions at the end of reach chapter. I was kind of disgusted about somethings like how the manual says the bags for holding tea will keep it fresh for a year but we are supposed to tell customers it only keeps it fresh for a few weeks.... I was happy to learn that my manager does not expect me to stick to the manual about selling cast irons. He said he'd rather have happy customers. He left me on the floor by myself after being there for two hours and seemed reall6y dissapointed in me when a customer came in and i helped her but she decided she didn't want anything and left. I was overwhelmed that i was sort of lied to when he hired me. He told me I would join the seasonal team but I could stay after the holidays post time.

It makes me cringe to read some of these posts. I'm sorry you guys have gone through this.

I just had a drawn-out, annoying experience with their tea of the month club. They switched the teas around on me without notice, and I still haven't received any installment but the first.

I finally got a customer service rep who helped cancel my order and get my money back, but they just seem like a big mess overall. Getting anyone to do anything took around two months.

After reading the posts in this thread, I feel bad about ever ordering from them in the first place. I'd much rather be giving my money to a company that cares about the people it buys tea from and its customers. Also, the tea is rather low-quality (based on my limited experience with them).

amaranto wrote:It makes me cringe to read some of these posts. I'm sorry you guys have gone through this.

I just had a drawn-out, annoying experience with their tea of the month club. They switched the teas around on me without notice, and I still haven't received any installment but the first.

I finally got a customer service rep who helped cancel my order and get my money back, but they just seem like a big mess overall. Getting anyone to do anything took around two months.

After reading the posts in this thread, I feel bad about ever ordering from them in the first place. I'd much rather be giving my money to a company that cares about the people it buys tea from and its customers. Also, the tea is rather low-quality (based on my limited experience with them).

They love to inconvenience you in the politest and sorriest of ways but, really they want you to get frustrated and give up on your refund.As a kid I used to think that there was no company more insidious then Umbrella but, I was dead wrong. Wal-mart is a close second to these fiends.

I am pleased to report that as of the first of this month I have been named to the newly created Teavana position of Director of Customer Alienation in charge of training of associates in the non retention of customers.

Seems like a piece of cake position as all the work has already been done.

I vied for but lost my bid for the dream job of keeping all the monkeys in line that pick the TKY.

Chip wrote:I am pleased to report that as of the first of this month I have been named to the newly created Teavana position of Director of Customer Alienation in charge of training of associates in the non retention of customers.

Seems like a piece of cake position as all the work has already been done.

I vied for but lost my bid for the dream job of keeping all the monkeys in line that pick the TKY.

Oddly I did not see a "prank" from you on the first of the month, but on the 10th you almost got me as I have long since forgotten about the fools.

Chip wrote:I am pleased to report that as of the first of this month I have been named to the newly created Teavana position of Director of Customer Alienation in charge of training of associates in the non retention of customers.

Seems like a piece of cake position as all the work has already been done.

I vied for but lost my bid for the dream job of keeping all the monkeys in line that pick the TKY.

Oddly I did not see a "prank" from you on the first of the month, but on the 10th you almost got me as I have long since forgotten about the fools.

I work at teavana currently, and have for just about a year. I'm trying desperately to get out but other jobs are hard to come by... that said I haven't gotten hours and haven't been able to get a hold of any of my managers for about a month now and I'd like to share why.

Recently I had to take a hiatus at work because my mom had a regrowth of a brain tumor and my dad has a fairy decent job but needed someone to watch out for mom during her healing process. Since I only work part time (despite promises from my boss that I'd be promoted in a month. Ha.) I talked to my boss and he told me to take as much time as I need, family comes first. I was home for about three weeks and when I came back my hours were severely cut. I was lucky if I worked 4 hours a week. My third week back a man came in, it was an incredibly slow day and there were three of us just standing around so I saw no problem putting in a little extra time with him. He seemed really uneasy so I asked him what was wrong. He said that he'd been here before and they hire cute girls that smile and sell you 500 dollars worth of stuff. I just laughed it off and said something like "We're all just so excited about tea and we want to share it." I asked him if he had a way to make tea, he said yes, and no he didn't want cast iron or a fancy tea maker. I said that was fine, handed him the next sample and asked him what he'd come in for. He got this pained look and said that is son was diagnosed with brain cancer recently and he'd heard the silver needle might help cure it. I obediently brought the tin down and showed him. I told him I really liked that tea (which I do) but I wasn't going to lie so I said that it would not cure brain cancer. I said some studies had found that tea may help prevent cancer but if he already has it, this won't cure it. The man thanked me for my honesty and asked if I had any suggestions. I admitted that my mom had recently gone through brain surgery again and told him not to lose hope then sold him some green tea that I love (for me it does create a mood boost, so I drink it all the time, I also found it worked on mom, and is one of our more expensive teas) and I sold him some of the coffee tasting mate for energy since the medication his son was on drained him of any. He thanked me for not sales-pitching him, gave me a hug and told me he'd keep my mother in his prayers. I promised to do the same for his son and waved goodbye. The sale had been over 100 dollar and the first sale of my shift so I was pleased... then my manager dragged me into the back and berated me for losing a sale of silver yin zhen pearls (what we're supposed to sell instead of silver needle, it's heavier so we can charge more). I told her still sold an indicator and it'd been the best sale for hours. She didn't care. After several more minutes I said "Fine. You think I lost a sale? Maybe I did, but I won't lie for tea, and I never have. If you don't like that fire me." She said she was going to have to talk to our general manager but I'd likely be on probation. I rolled my eyes, took a few deep breaths and finished my shift. The next day I got a text from a different manager saying that a guy had come in asking for me and that he said he'd been so impressed with me that he'd decided to buy a 250 dollar tea maker, but he wanted to be sure I got credit. The manager said he'd make sure of it and sold it to him. When I checked my grade at the end of the week that sale was under my managers name, not mine. I brought it to his attention and he simply said "Well you weren't on shift so it's my sale." (I'd had one of "his" customers come in and buy the same thing when I first started out there from me and never one did his customer mention his name and when I excitedly said I'd sold one he changed it in the system claiming it was "his" customer and that he'd sent her to the store to get one so he should get the sale. I probably would have given it to him if the woman had ever said that anyone else had showed her the tea maker but she never did.) From then on I have received no hours and cannot get in touch with any managers to be scheduled, though they don't outright fire me. The few times I've gotten a response from any managers it was "I'll figure it out and call you tonight" obviously there are never any calls.

Sorry that was so long winded, I just felt the need to somehow let someone know what had happened and how low and corrupt this company is.